An attempt to demonstrate, that all the phoenomena [sic] in nature may be explained by two simple active principles, attraction and repulsion : wherein the attractions of cohesion, gravity, and magnetism, are shewn to be one and the same, and the phoenomena of the latter are more particularly explained / by Gowin Knight.

Gowin Knight

Date:: [1748]

Credit: An attempt to demonstrate, that all the phoenomena [sic] in nature may be explained by two simple active principles, attraction and repulsion : wherein the attractions of cohesion, gravity, and magnetism, are shewn to be one and the same, and the phoenomena of the latter are more particularly explained / by Gowin Knight. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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15/98 page 13

( *3 ) PROP. XXVI. Matter being thus conftituted at the firft Creation of it, and then a Principle of Attraction impreffed upon it • the Confequence rnuft be, that thofe primaryParticles, according to their Difpofition, would mutually attraCt each other with different Forces,would immediately run together, and adhere in Point of ContaCt with indefinite Force. And according to the Number of Particles at that Time in the Neighbour¬ hood of each other, there would be formed Corpufcles of different Bulks.Thofe Corpufcles, according to their Difiances from each other, would run together in like Manner, and form larger ; and fo on. Note i. It might be more methodical to profecute here the firft Formation of all the Heavenly Bodies, and explain the Origin of their Forms, their Magnitudes, Situations, and Motions; but as all that can be done in this refpeCt would be to prove, that they might be the Effects of an artful Dis¬ tribution of Matter, at the firft Produdion of it, and of the general Principle of Attraction, governed by the Laws of Motion ; it could not be neceftarily inferred from thence, that thofe EffeCts were actually produced in that Manner : I Shall therefore poftpone this Part of my Undertaking, till I have confidered the more minute Parts of Nature. Note 2. It is eafy to perceive from the laft Propofition, that although the primary Particles of Matter were origi¬ nally formed all of the fame Magnitude, and indefinitely fmall; yet by imprefling on them a Principle of Attraction, they might be made to form themfelves into Corpufcles of different Orders of Magnitude: But if any one thinks it more reafonable to fuppofe them created of different Sizes at firft, I have no Objection at prefent, except that it does not appear to me fo Ample, as if we fuppofe them created all alike. prop, xxvir. If a Number of Particles, of equal Magnitudes, and perfectly round, mutually attraCt each other with any Degree of Force at any given Diftance, how fmall foever, upon their mutual

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